Jai Bala of 1857 says it may be a good idea to hold on to winners such as Cipla, Ceat and Bosch rather than search for new ones. He is also positive on the telecom (Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular) and auto space.

According to an RBI statement, the exchange rates for the pound and the yen against the rupee were quoted at 103.3857 and 53.55 per 100 yen, respectively, based on reference rates for the dollar and cross-currency quotes at noon.

The wholesale price of onion at Lasalgaon in Maharashtra-- country's largest market for the crop - shot up to Rs 54 per kg on Friday. Consequently in the price-sensitive Delhi retail markets, price of the kitchen staple has dramatically risen up to Rs 80 per kg.